Weight, Eating Habits and Dietary Self-efficacy of Middle School Girls with Eating Disorder

The slimness favored trend made students shape up body image by weight control using restrained eating. Many students especially female ones tend to be in eating disorder status. The aim of this study was to find the relation between weight, eating habits and dietary self efficacy in the selected middle school girl students group with high risk eating disorder (7.9%) and the one with low risk eating disorder (24.1%). This study was conducted by EAT-26 questionnaire method and all the data was analyzed by SAS (Statistical Analysis System) program. The results were as follows; The physical condition of eating disorder students (159.5 cm height, 50.7 kg weight and 97.4% PIBW) was higher and bigger than that of normal students(158.2 cm, 47.2 kg, and 92.6% PIBW). Weight control experience in the high risk group (69.4%) was significantly more frequent than normal group (p less than 0.001). The gap between actual body weight and desired weight was higher in high risk eating disorder group than in normal group (p less than 0.001). Dietary self-efficacy score of middle school female students in the high risk eating disorder group was high when they were in temper, in confusion, and after argument. However, when they were in cooking (p less than 0.01), with friends (p less than 0.05), in assembling dishes (p less than 0.01), and with family (p less than 0.05) the dietary self-efficacy score of high risk group was lower than that of normal group. In the high risk eating disorder group, eating speed was often faster (p less than 0.05) and overeating rate (p less than 0.01) was higher than in normal group. In general, EAT-26 score was correlated positively with gap weight, but negatively correlated with dietary self efficacy score (p less than 0.01). Gap weight and dietary self efficacy were significantly different in normal group. however, there was no relation in high risk eating disorder group. Under the circumstance of high risk eating disorder, as weight and dietary self efficacy did not affect the relation with eating disorder score, when it is determined as eating disorder some other factors besides weight and diet self efficacy seem to affect the eating disorder score. In conclusion, the factors related with eating disorder were gap weight and some items of dietary self efficacy. Thus, correct understanding of healthy weight and dietary self efficacy enhancement require the development of nutrition education contents and the practice of nutrition education.